1. Cut the ends and the dark green leaves off the leeks, and then cut them in half lengthwise. Place in a bowl of cold water for 10 minutes, then run them under the faucet to remove any sand that may be lingering in between the layers. Cut into 2-inch pieces.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt generously and add the leeks. Parboil for two minutes and drain.

3. Spoon the olive oil into a wide, lidded skillet, and place the leeks in the skillet in an even layer. Pour in the wine, and add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and the garlic. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 30 to 45 minutes, until the leeks are very tender but still intact and most of the liquid has evaporated.

4. Remove from the heat, and allow the leeks to cool in the juices left in the pan. Transfer to a serving dish. Taste and adjust seasonings. Sprinkle on the fresh herbs and serve.

Yield: Serves four to six.

Advance preparation: The leeks will keep for a day or two in the refrigerator. Reheat or bring to room temperature before serving.

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

Recipe: Leeks: Onion Flavor, Without the Onions

Recently John Lyons, proprietor of the Woven Garden in Los Angeles and my gardening guru, brought over an armful of leeks that had just been harvested from his vegetable garden, their untrimmed greens streaming like long ribbons.

This was a luxury, and as I cooked them last week I wondered why leeks are so underused in this country. In Europe, they are as common in kitchens as carrots and turnips. In French cooking, rare is the soup or stew that does not feature a leek or two in its supporting cast of aromatics, not to mention the tarts, soups and starters in which it has the starring role.

If you are one of those people who can’t tolerate an abundance of onions in a dish, try leeks instead. They’re milder, even though they contain many of the sulfur compounds present in onions that are difficult for some people to digest. But these compounds, also found in green garlic, are the source of many health benefits. Leeks contain other important nutrients as well, like lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that are being studied for their role in eye health. Leeks also are a good source of calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium and vitamin K, and are a very good source of vitamin A.

Leeks should be trimmed and cleaned before you use them. As the green shoots push up from the ground, dirt can become lodged between their thin layers. The dark green part is tough, and while good for stocks, it doesn’t have the delicate flavor and texture of the white bulb or the tender light green part just above the bulb.

Cut away the dark green parts and the hairy root end, where most of the dirt is. Then cut the leek in half lengthwise and soak it in a bowl of water for about five minutes to loosen the dirt. Finally, run the leek under cold water, fanning the layers under the stream to wash away any lingering sand. Alternatively, you can trim and slice the leeks, soak the slices for five minutes, swish them around in the water, rinse again and drain on paper towels.

Stir-Fried Leeks With Amaranth and Green Garlic

In April, I found piles of baby leeks, red spring onions, amaranth and green garlic at one stand at the local farmers’ market. I bought some of each on impulse, and this dish is what became of them. Amaranth is a beautiful leafy green used in the cuisines of China and Mexico. You can find it at some Asian markets and farmers’ markets.

1. Wash the amaranth, and trim away the thick ends of the stems. Cut the bottom, thicker parts of the stems into 1/2-inch lengths. If the leaves are very large, remove them and break off the stringy stems. Place the cut stems and leaves together in a large bowl. Have all the ingredients within arm’s length of your pan.

2. Heat a 14-inch flat-bottomed wok over high heat until a drop of water evaporates within a second or two from the surface. Swirl in 1 tablespoon of the oil by adding it to the sides of the wok and tilting it. Add the leeks, spring onion, garlic and ginger, and stir-fry for one to two minutes until the leeks have softened.

3. Add the remaining oil, amaranth (stems and leaves), sesame seeds, salt, pepper and sugar. Turn the heat to high and stir-fry for two minutes, or until the leaves have wilted and the stems are crisp-tender. Add soy sauce to taste. Remove from the heat and serve with rice.

Yield: Serves two as a main dish.

Advance preparation: This is a last minute stir-fry, but you can have all of your ingredients prepared several hours ahead.

1. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan or lidded skillet over medium heat. Add the leeks and a generous pinch of salt. Cook gently until just about tender, about three minutes. Do not allow the leeks to color. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to a minute. Add the carrots, water and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer.

Cover and simmer 10 to 15 minutes until the carrots are tender when pierced with a knife. Stir in the lemon juice and tarragon. Taste and adjust salt. Transfer to a platter if desired, making sure to scrape out the tasty residue from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon or spatula. Serve hot, or allow to cool and serve at room temperature. If serving at room temperature, sprinkle with additional fresh tarragon just before serving.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and reheat gently. Add more tarragon before serving.

Martha Rose Shulman is the author of "The Very Best of Recipes for Health."

Recipe: Chicken Soup With Leeks and Lemon

This is inspired by both the classic Greek soup avgolemono and Scottish cockaleekee. Start with a flavorful chicken or turkey broth, simmer leeks and rice or bulgur in the soup until tender, then enrich with eggs and lemon. The trick here is to begin with a flavorful stock and not to allow the eggs to curdle when you combine the soup and the avgolemono sauce. You can make a vegetarian version of this using a garlic broth or by making a robust vegetable stock using the dark leafy parts of the leeks.

Fresh juice of 2 lemons, strained, or about 6 to 8 tablespoons, to taste

Salt to taste

Freshly ground pepper

Chopped fresh parsley or dill for garnish

1. Combine the stock and leeks, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add the rice or bulgur, and continue to simmer until the grain is cooked through, 15 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.

2. Beat together the eggs and lemon juice until frothy in a medium bowl.

3. Just before serving, making sure that the broth isn’t boiling, gradually add 2 cups to the egg and lemon mixture while beating vigorously with a whisk to prevent the eggs from curdling. Turn off the heat under the soup, pour the egg-lemon mixture into the soup, stir well and serve, adding a bit of pepper to each bowl and garnishing with chopped fresh parsley or dill.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: You can make this soup through Step 1 several hours before serving, but the grain will continue to absorb liquid; if you do make it ahead, use 1/2 cup instead of 2/3 cup.

1 pound red potatoes or fingerlings, washed and cut in 1-inch dice, or very small potatoes left whole

1/2 cup dry white wine

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar or sherry vinegar (more to taste)

1 tablespoon lemon juice (more to taste)

1 to 2 hard-boiled eggs (to taste)

1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the leeks and potatoes in a baking dish large enough for them to fit in a single layer. Toss with the white wine, salt, pepper and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover the baking dish tightly, and place in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes. Uncover, raise the heat to 450 degrees, and return to the oven for another 10 to 15 minutes until the leeks and potatoes are tender but not mushy and just beginning to color. Remove from the heat, and add the remaining olive oil, vinegar, lemon juice and additional salt and pepper if desired. Toss together and allow to cool.

2. Put the hard-boiled eggs through a sieve, and season with salt and pepper. Arrange over the leeks and potatoes (I like to arrange the sieved egg in a wide stripe down the middle), sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Yield: Serves four.

Advance preparation: You can make this several hours ahead of mealtime and serve at room temperature.